Poké Iron Chef: Slate vs Morimoto
by OkonoMiyagi
Summary: Mentioned in my "Gym Leader Wiki." Brock Slate is one of the most prolific cookbook authors in Kanto.  Chairman Kaga can't resist inviting him to challenge one of the legendary Iron Chefs.
1. The Signing

**Poké Iron Chef: Slate vs. Morimoto**

Summary: Mentioned in my "Gym Leader Wiki." Brock Slate is one of the most prolific cookbook authors in Kanto. Chairman Kaga can't resist inviting him to challenge one of the legendary Iron Chefs.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, Iron Chef, or any of the characters involved. All characters are assumed to be speaking Japanese unless otherwise noted.**

**===TITLE OF MUSIC CUE===**

**("POKÉSPEAK")**

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>Tell me what you eat, and I'll tell you who you are." -Brillat-Savarin<strong>_

**Chapter 1: The Signing**

Brock Slate was on the top of the world. His two cookbooks were flying off the shelves, and he felt like a celebrity signing book after book for what seemed to be thousands of people. (As if being the former Pewter City Gym Leader wasn't enough for him.) A sizeable crowd had gathered outside the Pewter City Bookstore to get a copy.

Inside, Brock was seated at a small table, signing away. Sitting on either side of him were his Kabuto and his Vulpix (he would've let Onix out, but the store was too small to accommodate the giant rock snake), each of whom were enduring the onslaught of petting from some of the younger children whose mothers were buying his book. The poor Vulpix looked sick, perhaps dizzy from a headache resulting from the last child petting her too aggressively.

Kabuto skittered over the table until he reached Vulpix, startling Brock in the process.

"Whoa! Hey there, buddy, where are you going?" he asked as the crab-like Pokémon simply pointed a leg at Vulpix, who outstretched a paw to let her little friend climb on top of her head. He latched on, careful not to make Vulpix's head pain even worse than it already was.

("Helmet for you,") Kabuto said to her.

("Thanks, I needed that,") she replied. ("I seriously need a nap.")

("No kidding, I'm sick of these kids picking me up,") he sighed as he began to doze off on top of the fox Pokémon's head.

Near the end of the signing period—Brock must've signed upwards of 200 books by this point—a figure in a black trench coat and sunglasses walked up to the table and handed Brock his book to be signed. His long, dark hair was partially concealed by a black fedora. Brock noticed right away that he did not carry any Pokémon with him, thereby ruling him out as a member of Team Rocket.

"Mr. Slate," the figure said, his booming voice startling poor Kabuto right off Vulpix's head, "I was very impressed with your recipes in this book."

"A-a-ahh, thank you…sir," he replied, his voice beginning to quake a little bit. His hand was unsteady as he signed the man's book—by some miracle, it looked remotely like his usual signature. He handed the book back to the man and bent down to pick Kabuto up from off the floor, setting the little Pokémon back on the table.

The mysterious man pulled out a small envelope and handed it to the startled Gym Leader.

"You can read this when you return home," he said. "Thank you for signing my book." And with that, he tipped his hat and left.

**~料理の鉄ポケット~**

Brock arrived home relatively late at night, as he had to close down the Gym after the signing. He removed his jacket and hung it onto the coat rack near the door—as he did so, Vulpix came trotting alongside him with Kabuto still serving as her helmet.

"You two are something else," he laughed at the sight. "C'mon, let's get you two something to eat."

Little did he realize the envelope he received from the mysterious man had fallen out of his coat pocket and onto the floor. Vulpix trotted back to the coat rack and picked it up, handing it to Brock as she waited patiently for her dinner.

"Oh, right, let's see what this was all about," he said, setting Vulpix's bowl down. He carefully tore open the envelope and removed one of the ornate stationery pieces inside—an invitation, from the looks of it. Brock's eyes scanned the card, widening in sudden realization of what this actually was.

_You have got to be kidding me…_

_At the request of TAKESHI KAGA,_

_Chairman of the KANTO GOURMET ACADEMY_

_Mr. BROCK SLATE_

_is hereby invited to compete in Kitchen Stadium_

_Against the Gourmet Academy's IRON CHEFS_

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" he muttered to himself. He pulled out the other piece of stationery, which was a letter.

_Dear Mr. Slate,_

_ If memory serves me right, you have served as a judge for many battles in my Kitchen Stadium since 2005. I thank you sincerely for your valued opinions, and hope that you will continue to appear on our panel in the years to come._

_ I also have heard that you have become quite the culinary mastermind yourself—your two most recent cookbooks are a testament to that. To that end, I wish to have you compete against one of my Iron Chefs three weeks from the date my attendant delivers you this letter._

_ Please send your confirmation of your appearance as well as the name of the Iron Chef you wish to challenge to my office within the next week._

_ I await your reply in earnest._

_Sincerely,_

_Takeshi Kaga_

_Chairman, Kanto Gourmet Academy_

"Well, guys," he said, turning to Vulpix and Kabuto, "looks like we're gonna be on TV again. And I've kinda wanted to do this, too…"

He grabbed the nearest piece of paper and wrote back in record time.

_Dear Chairman Kaga,_

_ Thank you for the opportunity to have me compete in Kitchen Stadium. I accept your offer, and wish to challenge Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto._

_Regards,_

_Brock Slate_

* * *

><p><strong>The actual show will begin in the next chapter, hopefully! If you've never read one of my Iron Chef stories before (and if you're familiar with Tales of Symphonia), I highly recommend checking out my "Iron Chef Symphonia" series so you can get an idea of what to expect.<strong>

**Stay tuned…**


	2. A Different Kind of Battle

**Chapter 2: A Different Kind of Battle**

_**POKÉ IRON CHEF**_

_**BROCK SLATE INTRODUCTION**_

**==ROUTE 2, 3, 4 ET AL (HG/SS)==**

_ If memory serves me right, there is a field of cooking that is rather unrepresented in my Kitchen Stadium. That field is…home cooking._

_ Recently, I have found a young man who is a dedicated cook for his family as well as his Pokémon—and has published two cookbooks that are simply flying off the shelves._

_ "I'm the oldest of ten. So naturally, I was the one who had to look after everyone. And since my mother was gone and my father had to stay at the Gym, I was often tasked with keeping my siblings busy. So I did a lot of the cooking."_

**==TOTAL WAR==**

_I just couldn't resist calling him in to battle one of my Iron Chefs._

_Today's challenger: an avid cook and the Leader of the Pewter City Gym, Brock Slate, 23 years old._

_Slate began learning to cook from his father at age 6. And with lots of training, he began to learn some of the time-honored recipes his family passed down from one generation to the next._

_By the age of 13, he was already cooking for the entire family, and by 15 he was already improvising on some of his family's recipes._

_And in 2006, he published his first cookbook—with a second one exclusively for Pokémon following it the year after._

_Shortly after he became Gym Leader in 1996, he started to travel the world—and while on his travels to other regions, began to incorporate international techniques._

**==ECRUTEAK CITY (ANIME)==**

_Slate's dishes are the epitome of hearty home cooking—those that the whole family can enjoy. He combines his family's traditional recipes with influences from the Johto region—a result of his many worldly travels._

**==SHOW ME YOUR FIRETRUCK==**

_Now, Brock! Treat us to the recipes your family has enjoyed—and show the world the full potential of home cooking!_

_ "Winning or losing is not the point. I want to do my family proud today by cooking the best food I've ever made."_

**~料理の鉄ポケット~**

"You know," a nearby producer told Brock, "a lot of challengers come in here in chef's whites. I think this is the first time I've seen someone in just their normal outfit!"

"Well, I don't own a restaurant or anything, and I'm not really a professional chef," he replied, "although when you cook for all my brothers and sisters, you kinda feel as though you are. But I feel most comfortable in these," he said, adjusting his shirt.

"Whatever makes you comfortable," the producer replied back. "Good luck. You'll need it against Morimoto—he's been on a hot streak lately. Hasn't lost since December of last year, if we're going by tape dates."

_That would be about five or six months…so what's that, about eight or nine battles? Sheesh…_ Brock thought. _The man's good, but that's why I'm here—to stop him._

"Showtime in 10 seconds…" said a floor manager, "…5, 4, 3, here comes the Chairman, cue the applause…"

On the other side of the curtain, Chairman Kaga had taken his place behind the ingredient stand and silenced the applause.

"The leader of the Pewter City Gym is here today," he boomed. "I never would have imagined that this man, who serves as a frequent judge here in my Kitchen Stadium, had the cooking abilities to challenge one of them," he said again, pointing to the portraits of the Iron Chefs behind him.

Brock fidgeted behind the curtain. Vulpix (with Kabuto still on her head), who—as per the show's tradition—would march into the Stadium by his side, nudged his leg with her paw.

("You'll do great,") she said to him. Brock patted her neck, gave Kabuto a light rap on his shell, and took a couple deep breaths.

"Let's bring him on!" Kaga shouted. "Pewter City Gym Leader and cookbook author, Brock Slate!"

The curtain tore open and Brock walked the red carpet into the Stadium, meeting Kaga at the base of the steps.

"Welcome, it's a pleasure to have you here again," Kaga said. He reached down to Vulpix, petting her on the neck as well and slightly chuckling at the sight of Kabuto on her head.

"I must say, this is a rather unusual sight," he said to Brock, pointing at Kabuto.

"Yeah, though I'm getting used to that."

"So you're well-known in the Pokémon arena as a professional combatant," Kaga continued.

"I guess you could say that…" Brock said sheepishly.

"But today, you're a combatant again…only this time, it's cooking. Are you confident?"

Brock just smiled. "I'll do my best."

"Very well, then. It's time for me to call upon the pride of the Gourmet Academy: the four Iron Chefs."

Kaga turned to the dais and bellowed:

"Yomigaeru-ai…IRON CHEF!"

**==STADIUM SELECTION (STADIUM 1)==**

The entire Stadium went dark as the portraits of the four Iron Chefs glowed. Smoke billowed from the dais, and soon the Iron Chefs rose into view, staring Brock down intently. He tried to block out the announcer, Fukui, from his mind as he stared down the one man he would challenge. The Chairman's query barely left his mouth as Brock called for his target:

"Mr. Morimoto, if you please!"

"What a call!" Fukui exclaimed. "Challenger Slate gunning for Iron Chef Japanese, Masaharu Morimoto, the leader of the Neo-Japanese cuisine movement. He hasn't lost since December of last year, but now a Gym Leader—not a professional chef—is looking to break his 9-battle winning streak…the pressure's on!"

Morimoto descended the stairs from the dais and shook hands with Brock at kitchen level.

"Don't be nervous," the Iron Chef said. "You'll do great."

"Thanks," Brock said, as he took his position. Vulpix leapt onto the counter near him as he recalled Kabuto and released Geodude—who would be his other sous-chef—in his place. Morimoto took a glance at him and laughed.

_We've been here for five years now, and I will still never understand these Pokémon creatures…_ the Iron Chef thought.

Kaga interrupted both men's thoughts as he began to introduce the theme ingredient.

"The challenger has quite a large family," Kaga thought aloud, "which has to come together for dinner."

Brock looked at the Chairman, puzzled. _What in the world is he going on about?_

"Come together—as that image came together in my head, a thought came to me. Something that coagulates…as I seem to remember, there's a certain white ingredient that fits the bill perfectly."

_I still can't figure out what this could be…!_ Brock thought.

"And now, we unveil the ingredient," Kaga announced. "Today's theme…is THIS!" With that, he tore the red tablecloth off the ingredient stand, releasing a large puff of smoke. Baskets of white slabs of—well, something—ascended into view.

"Today's theme is…TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOFU*!" Kaga bellowed.

**~料理の鉄ポケット~**

**==BROTHERS (KAGA NARRATING)==**

_Ahhhh…tofu._

_ If memory serves me right, when cooking tofu, Chinese chefs always live by this mantra:_

"Never lukewarm."

_This means that tofu must always be served either chilled or steaming hot—never in between. Why, you ask?_

_ Well, 90% of tofu consists of water…and at lukewarm temperatures, the tofu's flavor will be lost._

_ So, when cooking tofu, it is best to heed the wisdom of the Chinese…_

"Never lukewarm."

**~料理の鉄ポケット~**

**==KANTO ELITE FOUR/GYM BATTLE THEME (ANIME)==**

挑戦者 }K{ 鉄人

ブロック ・スレート VS 森本 正治

TOFU CONFRONT

"All right, the former Pewter City Gym Leader showing up in Kitchen Stadium to test his cooking chops against Iron Chef Japanese, Masaharu Morimoto…many of his fans will be pulling for him today, to see if his time-honored recipes can beat Morimoto's…tofu is the theme, we are set, let's get it on!"

"ALLEZ CUISINE!"

* * *

><p><strong>*Author's Note: The textual recreation really doesn't do this theme ingredient announcement justice. On YouTube, search "iron chef cho vs chen" and go to Battle Tofu, Part 2.<strong>

**And if you're an Iron Chef junkie and know the names of the tracks for the original music, you'll see I've taken some liberties with that. If you're confused as to which music track I'm actually using (as the games/anime use an umpteen number of variations of the same theme), feel free to PM me and I'll provide you a link or two.**


	3. Tofu Confront

**Chapter 3: Tofu Confront**

**When we last left off…**

挑戦者 }K{ 鉄人

ブロック ・スレート VS 森本 正治

TOFU CONFRONT

"ALLEZ CUISINE!" Kaga boomed.

**~料理の鉄ポケット~**

The Gong of Fate crashed, sending both chefs on their way.

"Bang a gong, we are on," Fukui said, "and the men with a brisk pace from the get-go, eager to get their paws on today's theme, tofu…and Doc? Should be an interesting battle with a rather common ingredient on the stand today…"

"Yeah, and as you can see, we've got a few different types up there," Hattori, the culinary expert, added. "The two coagulated types are momen, which is more firm; and kinugoshi, which is silken. And then the ones in the baskets are of the uncoagulated variety, which is really, really soft."

"All right, and both men, now making their way back to the floor with their share of tofu, and before we get too carried away with this, let's introduce our guests for today's battle: first, you know her well by now, she's been with us ever since Battle Number One, Celadon City Gym Leader Erika Aoyama."

"It's a pleasure to be here, again," she giggled lightly as she bowed.

"Aoyama-san, what do you think of today's theme ingredient?"

"Tofu…yes, it's one of my favorite foods. I have it all the time, love it, it's healthy, so I'm definitely looking forward to what they'll cook up today."

"And I understand," Fukui continued, "that you've tasted the challenger's cooking before?"

"Yes, that's very true," she replied. "Whenever we have a meeting amongst just us Kanto Gym Leaders, he cooks for us all the time. He's a wonderful cook, and I always wanted to see how he'd do here. So I'm very eager."

"All right, well, enjoy today's battle, I know I don't have to tell you that."

"Thank you."

"And we also have another frequent guest to Kitchen Stadium, though he hasn't been here in a while, Professor Samuel Oak. Long time no see, sir."

"Hello! Good to be back."

"Last time you were here was about seven months ago, for the Prawn Battle, wasn't it?"

"Yes, and I must say, my lab work has gotten the better of me lately. I always can count on the show to feed me well," he said, laughing. "I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday!"

"Well, you should come here more often, if that's the case!" Fukui joked.

"Yes, I always look forward to this menu-less restaurant," Oak replied. The broadcast box erupted in laughter.

"Well, you can eat up in about fifty-eight minutes, Professor. Nice to see you again."

"Thank you."

"And, as always, our commentator, Dr. Yukio Hattori. Doc?"

"Always a pleasure."

"Now, Professor, I'm glad you're here today, because it appears our challenger has enlisted the help of his Pokémon as his assistants."

"I'm glad you brought that up, Fukui-san," Oak spoke up. "Brock brought with him his Vulpix, the little red fox-like creature you see there. And the boulder with two arms you see doing some mixing is Geodude."

"OK, I'm still trying to figure out how that rock creature moves, but that's not terribly important right now," Hattori said, chuckling. "What does matter is that the challenger's…Geodude, was that its name?"

Oak nodded.

"Right, Geodude has a mixture here, and it looks like shaping up to be a sauce. The base for this is gochujang, or Korean hot bean paste."

"Fukui-san!"

"From the floor, Shinichiro Ohta, go!"

"I have some comments from Challenger Slate regarding today's theme ingredient, tofu, and he said, 'Couldn't have picked a better theme, I love tofu, use it all the time—I came up with over 20 tofu recipes just for my cookbook!' He seemed full of confidence!"

"Wow, over 20 recipes for his book!" Fukui exclaimed. "Hey—win or lose today, I'm already impressed. We'll see if any of them make the cut here in Kitchen Stadium today…"

"And Fukui-san?"

"Go ahead!"

"Some comments from Iron Chef Morimoto about today's theme ingredient: he said, 'It's a very common ingredient, you can definitely do a lot of things with it, which is good—but at the same time it's very tricky given who I've got on the other side, so I have to step things up big time today!'"

"All right, thanks Ohta, and the Iron Chef able to recognize a good opponent when he sees one," Fukui commented. "And check this out…some protein already out on the challenger's side, and some other things?"

Brock was already breaking down a very fresh slab of beef into small pieces. Once he finished with that, he grabbed a couple of cloves of garlic, minced them, and set them aside. He coated the beef with a red powder before throwing the whole thing, garlic and all, in a small wok.

"Fukui-san!"

"Go!"

"In the challenger's wok are Kobe beef slices coated in kochukaru, or Korean hot pepper powder, garlic, and sesame oil."

"Thanks, big fella, that's looking good already," Fukui responded.

"I can smell it from here," Oak sniffed. "That's gonna be hot."

"Got that right, and now, over on the other side, Iron Chef Morimoto dropped…uh, something into that pot of boiling water…"

"Blue crab, I think that was," Erika said.

"Ah, yes, you're absolutely right, there's the close-up, he's got those boiling away…"

"Fukui-san!"

"Yes!"

"Hattori-san brought up the challenger's Pokémon assistants a while ago, and Iron Chef Morimoto heard that and said, 'I still will never understand how these creatures work,' even though he's been here for five years already."

"Thanks, big fella, and Morimoto should know the drill around here by now, a challenger is allowed up to two Pokémon to assist him during the battle, and speaking of Morimoto, some more fish on his side..."

Morimoto had some _toro_, or fatty tuna sliced on his side. He put that aside and broke down a white fish (fluke, Dr. Hattori said it was). He set the sashimi cuts aside and then moved over to the firm tofu, throwing that into a mortar-and-pestle bowl with some chopped ginkgo nuts.

"Oh, look at the challenger!" Oak piped up. "I see some tofu has already hit the heat…"

"That it has, Doc Okido…Doc _Hattori_, any ideas where he'll go with this?"

"Little too early to tell, I think. But if you'll notice, the pot with the red stuff in it—I think that was the sautéed beef with the garlic and chili powder from earlier."

"Maybe we'll get a floor report on that a little later…meantime, swinging back to the other side, looks like Morimoto has even more tofu on his side?"

"Fukui-san!"

"Yes, Ohta?"

"This is NOT tofu the Iron Chef has on his side, but fresh mozzarella cheese," Ohta replied.

"Now, that's just cruel," Erika joked, causing everyone else in the broadcast booth to laugh. "It's a tofu battle, and he pulls out more soft white stuff to work with? That's a cruel joke to play on us, he knows we can't tell the difference from here!"

"FIFTEEN MINUTES HAVE ELAPSED."

"That might be an even more cruel joke," Fukui tacked on, "as a quarter of the battle is already gone—"

"And Fukui-san?"

"Yes?"

"Regarding the red contents of that pot you were wondering about earlier, it is indeed the beef, garlic, and chili powder simmering in some plain water, though he's now added the soft tofu and some zucchini to that."

"Oh, OK, so it's like a Korean tofu stew," Hattori said. "Great idea, great approach."

"Right on, Doc, and Geodude is dutifully stirring away…"

"He'll probably add something else to this, I'm sure. If you notice, the challenger is actually drawing on a lot of Korean influences today—"

"Doc, Doc, check this out, the Iron Chef's got a torch," Fukui interrupted.

Morimoto was torching the surface of some small blocks of firm tofu, which were coated with sesame seeds.

"Oh, OK, he's doing that to caramelize the sesame seeds onto the tofu, which will also give the outside of the tofu a harder texture while keeping the softness inside," Hattori realized.

"It'll be an interesting combination of textures," Erika added.

"Indeed, and now, back to the other side, Challenger Slate—"

"Something doesn't look right," Erika said as Brock seemed to be struggling with the heat controls for the stove. He turned one knob, waited a few seconds. Nothing. He turned a second knob, waited a few more seconds. Still nothing.

"Vulpix, c'mere, girl," he called to his Pokémon. The red fox left her mixing bowl and trotted over to Brock's side, helping him figure out the controls.

"Fukui-san!"

"Take it!"

"Some bad news on the challenger's side—it appears the other two burners on his stove have malfunctioned," Ohta reported.

"Uh-oh," Oak and Hattori crooned.

"What's he going to do now?"

**~料理の鉄ポケット~**

On the kitchen floor, Brock left Vulpix to fiddle with the controls and checked on Geodude and the stew.

"Looks good, buddy, hold off on the stirring for a bit," he said as he jogged to the pantry to retrieve some vegetables.

_What__ would__ go __well__ with __the__ gochujang__…__?_ he thought, grabbing as many ingredients as he possibly could. His arms were filled with vegetables, and ungracefully slapped the garden collection onto the cutting board near Geodude's station.

"Think you can chop these up for me after I wash them?" he asked. Geodude gave him a thumbs-up, leaving his spoon in the pot as he floated over to the cutting board. "Good," he replied. "After you're done with them, coat them in the gochujang and toss them into the pan with the tofu. OK? Go for it, 'Dude."

Brock gave Geodude a hearty slap on the back after delivering him the washed vegetables, and after checking on Vulpix's mixing bowl (which contained the beginnings of a tofu crème brulee), he jogged back over to Vulpix, who was still struggling with the stove knobs.

("Screw it,") she finally said. After telling Brock to move the pan, she took aim and fired—literally—at the stove burners underneath, causing a substantial flare-up (and eliciting a rather loud "WHOA!" from Fukui in the process). When the flames finally died down (and after Brock checked to make sure his eyebrows didn't burn off), the burners were lit.

_Mental __note:__ let__ Vulpix__ have__ whatever __treat__ she__ wants __after__ this __is __all__ over,_ Brock thought. He splashed some olive oil into the pan, sliced up some firm tofu into flat squares, and tossed those into the pan.

"Good girl," he said, "now go put that bowl into the fridge for me, OK?" The little fox did as she was told.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Morimoto was still a little shaken from the burner mishap in Brock's kitchen. His focus slightly bent out of shape, he inquired to his assistants if the foamer was on the ice and if the soft tofu/cream cheese mixture was in the fridge.

"THIRTY MINUTES HAVE ELAPSED."

"Shut up…!" Morimoto shouted, in English, to no one in particular. "I'm on schedule," he barked, then laughed it off. "On schedule, on schedule…"

"Sounds like Morimoto's a bit perturbed at the 30-minute mark being announced," Fukui piped up, not having a clue as to what the Iron Chef just said. "Although now he's laughing…OK, now I'm just confused. Uh, anyway…now, look at this, he's got the crabs out of the water from the top of the battle. Interesting pairing, don't you think?"

"You know, believe it or not, it works," Hattori chimed in. "It's not something that's seen terribly often, but the textures complement each other nicely. I think he wants the tofu to absorb the juices from the boiled crabs, so it'll be a texture technique more than anything."

"You can't deny he's got great presentation, serving it in the shell like that," Oak piped up.

"Fukui-san!"

"Go!"

"Yes, if we could swing back to the challenger's side for just a second, you'll notice he has zucchini, carrots, Chinese broccoli, cabbage, and pumpkin all chopped up and in this frying pan, and this is in addition to the tofu he had here earlier."

"Thanks, big fella, and was that the gochujang he just added to that?"

"Yes it was!" Ohta replied back.

"OK, got it…what do we we think, stir-fried vegetables and tofu in hot bean paste, is that a typical approach?"

"It's not terribly complex, that's for sure," Erika piped up. "I've actually seen him do this before, so I know it's good."

"But it's pretty commonplace in Korea," Hattori added. "They usually do this with rice, and they call it _bibimbap_ there, so…I guess this is a bibim-tofu?"

"Hey, whatever works, right?" Fukui replied. "Now, back to the Iron Chef's side…he's got a broth of some kind over here and a wide variety of plates as well, what could this be about?"

"Well, you'll notice he's got dried kelp leaves over here, and he's also got the sashimi from earlier on, but I honestly have no idea where he's going with this," Hattori said.

"Well, what about this," Oak piped up, "he'll put some tofu in a broth with the kelp and serve everything else separately?"

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Hattori replied, "because from the looks of all the things he has out on his side, there's just too much going on for it to be one dish."

On the other side, Brock had moved onto another different dish, this time with a wok with some tofu and a very red mixture in it.

"Fukui-san!"

"Go!"

"Perhaps we missed this earlier on, but the challenger appears to have had his rice cooker going this entire time and it just finished!"

"Well I'll be! We missed that entirely…"

"Oh, OK," Erika piped up. "If it's rice, and tofu, that can only mean one thing, right?"

"Judging from how red Brock's wok is, I have a feeling I know what it is too," Oak added.

"Mapo-dofu!" Oak and Erika said in unison.

"OK, well, that explains why the wok is so red," Hattori said.

"C'mon, Doc, you've seen it here plenty of times before, I'm surprised you didn't pick up on it earlier!" Fukui playfully ribbed at him.

"Eh, I'm having a bad week, apparently…"

**~料理の鉄ポケット~**

"FIFTEEN MINUTES TO GO," came the time call. Both sides appeared to be in total control near the end of the battle.

"…we swing back to the challenger's side now, little under fifteen minutes to go, and what's he got going here?"

Brock was in preparations for his fifth dish, which he had dreamed up only a few seconds before. He had taken a few slabs of the momen tofu, cut a thin line across the top, and formed a pocket in some of the tofu cubes. Those had just come off the grill, and Brock was stuffing them.

"Fukui-san!"

"Take it!"

"The challenger is stuffing snow crab and caviar into these tofu pockets—this is the firm type he's using, and they've been grilled before they've been stuffed."

"So this'll be served as-is?" Fukui surmised.

"I don't see what else he could do with it…" Erika mused.

"Garnish it with something, I dunno. Oh, take a look at what the Iron Chef is doing!" Hattori said, distracting the panel. Morimoto had taken some of the softer tofu and, using some different fish from the tuna and fluke he had out earlier, made sushi—but had replaced the rice with tofu.

"Interesting approach he has here…that's a good use of the theme," Oak added.

"Yeah, this guy's so great in the presentation. I think that's mackerel and yellowtail he has out on that side, right?" Hattori asked.

"Hey, you're the expert, how come you can't tell us?" Fukui playfully jabbed, to much laughter in the booth.

"TEN MINUTES TO GO."

"All right, ten minutes left, the final stages of this battle are beginning to wind down, and plating has begun on the Iron Chef's side, he's got some rather elaborate boxes out on his side…"

"Well, those'll earn presentation points from me!" Erika chimed. "Those are beautiful bentos he's using…"

"Iron Chef Morimoto, he knows the drill by now, can't just make it taste good, but he knows it also has to look good…challenger Slate looks like he has some plating materials out as well, though I don't think he's actually doing anything with them yet…"

"You're right, but those look like rice bowls, I would bet that's for the mapo-dofu," Hattori added.

"Can't have mapo-dofu without rice, or you'll burn your tongue right off," Fukui quipped, "and now, back to the Iron Chef's side—oh, hey, look at this! It's like an ice cream cone or something…"

Morimoto had taken the foamer that had been chilling from very early on in the battle, taken an ice cream cone, and sprayed some of the mixture into the cone.

"Oh, look at that!" Erika squealed as Morimoto also covered the cone in rainbow sprinkles. "It's just like cake and ice cream!"

"Fukui-san!"

"Take it!"

"You might notice a slice of what appears to be cheesecake next to that ice cream cone you were getting excited about," Ohta reported, "and you're right—this is the tofu and mozzarella cheese mixture the Iron Chef had earlier in the battle."

"Thanks, big fella—"

"TEN MINUTES TO GO."

"All right, 10 minutes left, we are entering crunch time in Kitchen Stadium!"

**~料理の鉄ポケット~**

Brock sprinted back to the kitchen, juggling several different kinds of plates and bowls in his hands. He took a quick look at the clock—seven minutes, twenty-two seconds.

_Plenty __of __time __to __plate __my __four __dishes, __I __think,_ he thought as he began laying out each plate. He called to Geodude to bring him anything he made that was currently contained in a pot, and to leave said pots by the bowls.

He took up a ladle and called Vulpix to take her mixing bowl out of the fridge.

"FIVE MINUTES TO GO."

"We're gonna have to hustle, you two," Brock called out hurriedly to his Pokémon. "We're keeping good time, just pick up the pace a little bit."

On the other side, Morimoto was in total control of his plating—his four dishes looked resplendent on their respective plates. As he was putting the final touches on the tofu bentos, he hadn't noticed one of the pots simmering on the stove beginning to bubble over.

"THREE MINUTES TO GO."

"Mo-san!" Omae, one of his assistants, finally shouted at him. "Careful, the pot!"

The Iron Chef glanced at the pot, which was now violently bubbling. The broth contained inside was now beginning to cascade down the side.

"_Aaah!__ Chotto_, _chotto_…" Morimoto leapt to the stove and frantically turned the heat down. "It's OK," he finally said when the broth calmed down. "It's fine, just got a little too hot."  
>He turned his attention back to the bentos after telling Omae to put the heat back on—but on very low.<p>

"Is everything else plated?"

"_Hai_, we're good!"

"Then come help me with these!" he shouted back, gesturing to the bentos that were about half-finished.

"ONE MINUTE TO GO."

"All right, the final sixty seconds ticking down in this tofu battle," Fukui commented. "Challenger Brock Slate, one of the most well-known trainers in this country, now trying to prove his worth as a cook in Kitchen Stadium…he's written cookbooks, so he can talk the talk, but can he walk the walk?"

"THIRTY SECONDS TO GO."

"Iron Chef Morimoto, trying to stay on the winning path he's held onto for the last nine months…it surely hasn't been easy against this tough challenger…"

"FIFTEEN SECONDS TO GO."

"Both sides putting the finishing touches on their dishes, they better hurry now…"

"TEN SECONDS TO GO."

"Ten seconds left, it looks like they've been in total control…"

"FIVE SECONDS."

"Final seconds ticking down…"

"THREE."

"TWO."

"ONE."

The Gong of Fate crashed as both chefs wiped the sweat from their brows, their work complete.

"And THAT'S IT!" Fukui roared. "The cooking's done, the Tofu Battle is OVAH!"

* * *

><p><strong>I sincerely apologize for not updating in as many months. For those who haven't read my Iron Chef Symphonia stories, battles are—as you've probably guessed—long and involved processes to write. I have to make sure the ingredients are right, the preparations are right, the lengths of time are more or less accurate. On top of that, the commentary has to sound right in my head. I'm not sure why this one took so long…maybe it's because there's literally a million things you can do with tofu.<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed the battle…but there's more! We need to find out who wins, after all!**


	4. Coming Together

**Chapter 4: Coming Together**

**===FAHRENHEIT 451 (FUKUI NARRATING)===**

Challenger Slate is offering five dishes.

First, Grilled Tofu Pockets. Snow crab and caviar are nestled in a pocket of firm tofu. The saltiness of the caviar, the sweetness of the crab and the soft texture of the tofu create a gentle harmony suitable for a starter.

Second, Korean Soft Tofu Stew. He mixed in beef and several kinds of vegetables to give this dish a heartier flavor—a taste of home in a bowl.

Third is Bibim-Tofu. Spicy red bean paste backs a garden variety of stir-fried vegetables, painting fire over the blank canvas of the tofu.

Fourth, Mapo-dofu, Challenger Slate's personal take on a Chinese classic. Various kinds of seafood enhance the dish's flavor, while the rice provides a control for its wild spice.

Last is Tofu Crème Brulee. Soft, sweet tofu tastes just like a custard in this simple, yet decadent dish. The layer of burnt sugar on the top adds a savory, sweet finish.

Iron Chef Morimoto is offering four dishes.

First, Sesame Tofu Hors d'oeuvre. Lightly torched sesame seeds provide a pleasantly crunchy texture to complement the softness of the tofu.

Second, Tofu Trio. He begins with Yodofu—tofu in broth, served with dried kelp leaves. Ginger, scallions, and bonito flakes are added at the taster's preference for a traditional touch.

He continues with Shiraae—firm tofu that has been ground down and mixed with ginkgo nuts, tomato, and mozzarella cheese.

The last part of the trio is tuna and fluke sashimi, with a puree of tofu over the top to enhance the flavor of each fish.

Third, Tofu and Blue Crab. Served in-shell, soft tofu and cream absorb the essence of blue crab, creating a delightful texture.

Last is Tofu Cake and Ice Cream. The ice cream is a mixture of tofu, sugar, and heavy cream, chilled and foamed to lead the taster into thinking of ice cream. And the tofu cheesecake, made from fresh cream cheese, is garnished with a tofu and peanut butter frosting to accentuate the tofu's flavor.

**===FIGHTING 17TH (FUKUI NARRATING)===**

A family man, an esteemed Pokémon trainer, a renowned chef, and today's challenger: Pewter City Gym Leader, Brock Slate.

Awaiting the challenge of this three-dimensional chef is a man who's just as accomplished: Iron Chef Japanese, Masaharu Morimoto.

Chairman Kaga unveils the theme…coagulating, bringing everything together…it is tofu!

Challenger Slate, using recipes that brought his family together, turns out a set of five dishes.

Quality, not quantity, says the Iron Chef, who counters with his set of four.

**~料理の鉄ポケット~**

"Mr. Slate, you're on," said Mr. Matsuo, the producer. Taking a deep breath, Brock got up from his seat in the holding room, with Vulpix and Geodude following him to the tasters' table.

"Here goes nothing, guys," he said, arriving at the head of the table. "No matter what, I'm so proud of both of you. We've done our best. Now it's out of our hands." He then brought them in for a group hug, then stood back up in time to see Erika and Professor Oak take their seats at the table. Joining them soon after were Chairman Kaga, tailed by the other two members of the tasting panel, Morty and Chuck.

"So how was the battle today?" Kaga asked Brock as his first course was brought to the table.

"I definitely prefer being on that side of it," Brock said, pointing at Erika and Oak. "Not just because I'm the one eating, but because it's a lot easier just watching from the sidelines. I certainly have a bigger respect for all the challengers that come in here now."

He looked on eagerly as the panel sampled his grilled tofu pockets.

"Where has this recipe been at all of our Gym Leader meetings?" Erika asked in disbelief.

"Well, I just came up with it today," Brock deadpanned, eliciting laughter from the panel.

"I love it!" Erika quickly added, trying to defend herself. "The sweetness of the crab goes very nicely with the caviar."

"The texture of the tofu is also really nice," Morty added. "You've grilled it to perfection."

"Somethin' about the creaminess of the crab combined with the tofu rubs me the wrong way, though," Chuck said. "I don't think snow crab was the best choice here, bud."

"Well, to each their own," Oak said. "Personally, I wish you used a different kind of roe. The caviar is a bit too salty for me, but as Morty already said, the tofu is grilled to perfection."

Brock smiled as he fetched his soft tofu stew, which he elected to serve himself.

"Whenever I couldn't decide what to make for everyone, I made this. And out of all the dishes I made for my siblings over the years, I think this one was their favorite," he told the panel. "They all loved spicy food. So I take a great deal of pride in this one."

"I can certainly see why," Oak chimed in soon after taking a bite. "It's gentle enough to appease those who don't like spicy as much, but still hot enough to tickle your senses."

"The blend of vegetables and the beef is good, but I think it's a little overpowering when you consider the tofu is supposed to be the centerpiece of this dish," Morty said.

"It's certainly very pleasing to the senses," Erika said. "I disagree, though, I think the tofu is supposed to be a textural component of the dish, which it does a splendid job of doing. And I happen to like it against the spicy broth, even if I think you put too many vegetables in this."

"What's wrong with too many veggies?" Chuck retorted. "Personally, I think he should've taken the beef out, because that's what's overpowering the tofu."

"Tofu is easily overpowered, though," Erika shot back. "Besides, plain tofu is just so _boring_! Would you rather he have done that instead of this?"

Not wanting to get caught in the middle of the ongoing dispute amongst Morty, Erika, and Chuck, Brock quietly retreated to retrieve his next course. Professor Oak and Chairman Kaga were left staring at each other in disbelief, as if to say, "What did we do to deserve this?"

_If memory serves me right,_ Kaga thought with a slight chuckle, _this is the first time that tasters have actually argued over a dish…_

"Well, if you're done fighting over how I screwed up the tofu on that one," Brock said over the ensuing ruckus, "my next course is ready."

Sure enough, the bibim-tofu had arrived at the tasters' table no sooner than Brock finished speaking. To Kaga's relief, the panel was quiet once more, silenced by the tofu and mixed vegetables.

"Ahhh…just like home," Chuck said.

"That might be the first positive thing you've said today," Erika joked. "I actually like the mix of vegetables in this," she added. "You've definitely picked a lot of vegetables that go well with tofu. Nice kick to it, too."

"I'm not really seeing anything terribly special with this dish, though," Morty said. "It's not very _Iron Chef_. It hasn't pushed the envelope enough…"

"Simplicity, though, is a good thing sometimes," Oak cut in. "It's important to remember that."

Sensing the beginnings of another argument, Brock retrieved his mapo-dofu to serve to the panel. As he spooned a healthy serving into a separate bowl to serve alongside the rice, Brock was soon hidden behind the steam cloud that erupted from the plate from which he was serving.

"Well, at least we know it's fresh," Chuck deadpanned.

"Yes, this is what I've been waiting for," Oak said as he eagerly scooped up a large spoonful of tofu and popped it into his mouth. His bliss was short-lived, however, when he realized how much his mouth was on fire after he swallowed. "But good heavens!" he shrieked. "I think I'm gonna break a sweat!"

"I think this is your best one yet, even if it is incredibly spicy," Morty added. "I love what you did to the texture of the tofu, as it's very smooth. Quite good."

"Yes, I agree, the texture is excellent," Erika added. "A bit too hot for my liking, but then it wouldn't be mapo-dofu if it weren't spicy, would it? My one quibble is that I feel the seafood you put in here overpowered the tofu. Octopus probably wasn't the best choice."

"Yeah, in a battle of textures, octopus always wins," Chuck said. "But this ain't an octopus battle, Slate, you know that."

Brock wryly smiled as he fetched his final course, the tofu crème brulee.

"So this one, I just pretty much hoped for the best…" Brock chuckled as the panel began to sample his dessert. "I'm pretty sure no one's ever done this before."

"Well, I certainly haven't had something like this before," Oak said, spooning a bite into his mouth. "But I certainly like what I taste! What a great way to end the meal."

"Great flavor, and I love the texture of the torched sugar on top," Morty added. "There's an inherent sweetness to the tofu here that I didn't know it had. Nice touch."

"It's like eating tofu without knowing it's tofu," Chuck added. "Very creative."

"I agree with Morty's statement about the subtle sweetness," Erika added. "It still tastes like tofu, yet it's still unabashedly a dessert. I think this is your strongest one yet."

"Challenger Slate…thank you for an excellent meal," Kaga said, shaking Brock's hand and sending him back to the holding room. The Pewter City Gym Leader, very much relieved at getting away from the judges' table, finally collapsed in a chair when he got to said holding room. Vulpix trotted up to him and nudged his leg.

"Great job, girl," he said. "Now it's out of our hands…"

**~料理の鉄ポケット~**

Back at the judges' table, Iron Chef Morimoto had begun serving his courses.

"This is positively mind-boggling," Morty said of Iron Chef Morimoto's first course, the sesame tofu hors d'oeuvre. "This is a bit like candy, it's actually pretty ridiculous. I mean…I don't know what else to say!"

"I'm still trying to figure out how he made this," Chuck said, eyeing the hors d'oeuvre. The rest of the panel chuckled.

"But yes, Morty's right, this is quite unique," Oak chimed in. "And, I might add, the sesame flavor complements the tofu quite well."

While Erika was left to contemplate the intricacies of Morimoto's dish, the Iron Chef enlisted some help to bring his next course, the tofu trio, to the table.

"You've already won me over with the presentation," Erika said when the dishes arrived at the table. "I love the layered bentos you have here, in these elaborate drawer-like contraptions."

"Thank you, Erika. I suppose you could say this is technically three dishes in one," Morimoto explained. "Please start with the yodofu and leave the sashimi for last."

"The soup's too plain for me," Chuck said.

"But did you add the toppings? The bonito flakes especially make a world of difference," Erika chided.

"Well, no…" Chuck said sheepishly, to the amusement of the rest of the panel.

"Having said that," Erika said after trying all three dishes, "I love the different preparations you have going on here. Tofu is never used the same way twice anywhere here, and it enhances the flavors of everything—it's not strong enough to overpower anything, yet it's not being overpowered by anything either."

"I'm personally not a fan of the ginkgo nuts in your second dish, as I think they make the dish a little too bitter," Morty said, "but I love everything else. I echo Erika's sentiments."

"And now that I've added the toppings, I can definitely say that this is a good dish," Chuck bellowed to the panel's amusement. "I'm a big fan of the fish in particular."

"I think your approach in your second course was the best of the trio," Oak said, "but that's not to say I didn't enjoy the other two. I really enjoyed the fish, but pairing the tofu with it was a bit strange to me. And your traditional touch with the soup reminded me so much of home."

_Well…I took a bit of a gamble there, but I think it paid off,_ Morimoto thought as his blue crabs were brought to the table.

"Again, I have to say your presentation is impeccable," Erika said. "Serving the tofu in the shell was a great idea."

"This is quite good," Oak chimed in. "The tofu is masterfully infused with the essence of blue crab, and the texture is quite nice. Not to mention the flavors complement each other really well."

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: tofu has a subtle sweetness to it," Morty said, "and it's coming out guns-a-blazing in this dish. I like what you've done here. Very well done."

Morimoto was all smiles as his dessert came to the table.

"You know, you don't normally think of tofu in cake OR ice cream," Oak said as the dessert arrived at his place setting. He took a couple of bites, thinking all the while about the bizarre combination.

_Well, then again, Brock had that crème brulee…_ he thought. _And this is actually quite good…!_

"Holy cow," Chuck said. "This is amazing!"

"Well, that's a shocking thing to hear from you," Morty jabbed.

"I'm serious, though! The tofu is masterfully integrated, and it just goes so well with the peanut butter. Such a creative approach."

"I agree, it's such an original dish, and all the components…just…work," Erika said. "I don't really know how to explain it."

"Where does he come up with these ideas?" Oak asked in disbelief. "I sometimes wish a lot of my research was as fruitful as this!"

Morimoto simply laughed and smiled, relieved that his dishes were well received. He retreated to the holding room, where Brock sat waiting with Vulpix at his side.

"Hey, good battle," Morimoto said, extending his hand to Brock. The Gym Leader shook it firmly.

"Likewise. I don't know how you guys do this week after week…that one battle wore me out!"

"It helps that we're not on every week, let me tell you!" Morimoto said with a laugh. "But what I don't understand is how you get your little creatures to help you in the kitchen like that. I keep seeing it whenever I battle here, but I want to hear it from one of the best trainers in Kanto."

Brock chuckled, mussing Vulpix's head as he explained. "You know, I don't know if we'll ever fully understand it. But, if you think about it, it's like training your pets a new trick. And each Pokémon has its own unique personality, its own hidden talents. I think cooking, though, is something that any Pokémon with arms or legs can learn."

Morimoto nodded. "So did you teach yours?"

"Oh yeah, absolutely. You should've seen this one—" here he patted Vulpix, "—when she first started learning. She would've made any novice human chef feel better about himself!"

At this both men laughed. Their moment of levity, however, was interrupted upon Mr. Matsuo calling out to them, inviting them back to the stadium floor.

"The scores are in!"

* * *

><p><strong>Now that the numbers have come together…whose cuisine reigns supreme? The verdict…when Poké Iron Chef returns.<strong>


	5. The Verdict

**Chapter 5: The Verdict**

Brock tried very hard not to fidget as Chairman Kaga and the panel took their place behind the ingredient stand. With Vulpix still at his side, the Pewter City Gym Leader was just anxious to find out who won.

_Wouldn't it be a hoot if I won? _Brock thought. _The League would have a field day with that story…not to mention I might have to come out with another cookbook. But Morimoto put up a really good fight too…this really could go either way._

Finally, Kaga interrupted Brock's thoughts.

"Home cooking against neo-Japanese cuisine," he began. "It made for a very interesting match-up in today's tofu battle."

Morimoto sighed. A lot was riding on this battle for him as well, having built up quite the winning streak over the last six months.

"The votes were split—2 to 2," Kaga continued. At this, both chefs raised their eyebrows.

_So total points will decide it,_ Brock thought. _Man, if we tie, that means we have to do this again? Oh, I'm _not_ looking forward to that…_

"Now…the verdict."

**==LADY IN THE RED HAT==**

"Today, a revered figure in the world of Pokémon battling tries his hand at another form of battle," Fukui narrated. "Challenger Slate, out of the arena and into Kitchen Stadium, trying to take down Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, who hasn't lost since December of last year! Has he done it with his home cooking? Panel deadlocked, total points will decide it…who takes it? Whose cuisine reigns supreme?"

There was a long pause before Kaga finally called out a name.

"Iron Chef, Masaharu Morimoto!"

**==FARENHEIT 451==**

"It's the Iron Chef! Morimoto makes it 10 in a row! And he seems incredibly relieved to win his closest battle yet!"

The two chefs met at the center of the stadium to shake hands.

"You certainly gave me a run there," Morimoto said. "I thought you had me."

"Great battle. I'm not ashamed to say I lost," Brock replied.

"Let's check the scores for this one," Fukui said over the applause. "Aoyama, 20-19 Iron Chef; Oak, 19-18 for the challenger; Levin, 20-18 Iron Chef; and Morris, 19-18 for the challenger—votes were tied, but the Iron Chef squeaks by with the win by one point!"

"Wow, I didn't realize it was that close," Morimoto said after Fukui revealed the scores. "Not many challengers come within one point, so walk out of here with your head held high."

"Thanks, Morimoto-san," Brock replied. "I will."

**~料理の鉄ポケット~**

Exhausted from the long day of taping, Brock arrived back at home, with Vulpix trotting alongside him (Kabuto had let himself out of his Poké ball and became Vulpix's helmet once again). His first stop was the kitchen, not having had a bite since the battle.

"I'm sure you guys are hungry," he said as he filled Kabuto's and Vulpix's bowls. "And for Vulpix, for coming through in the clutch…your favorite treat," he said happily as he dropped two scoops of Mago Berry ice cream into a separate bowl. The little fox squealed happily and gobbled them up quickly.

"I should've given it to you afterwards…now you've spoiled your appetite…" Brock said, shaking his head.

Kabuto, having nearly fallen into Vulpix's bowl of ice cream, interrupted her moment of bliss.

("So what happened?") Kabuto asked his fiery vulpine friend. ("You got to be in most of the action, I missed it.")

("I don't think we'll be having tofu for a long time after today,") Vulpix said. ("We put up a good fight, though.")

("So we lost?") Kabuto said, now a little downtrodden. He sunk into Vulpix's head fur.

"It's OK, buddy," Brock said reassuringly. "You all did so well. I'm proud of you all."

Kabuto stood up again and started running around on Vulpix's head. ("You mean you're not angry you lost?") At this the little crab Pokémon, excited at the prospect of not getting punished, fell off his friend and into his trainer's hand just in the nick of time.

"Woah there, careful," Brock admonished. "And no, I'm not angry at all. Winning or losing wasn't the point, right Vulpix?"

("Right!")

"Exactly. It was all about the love of our food, and the joys of putting it together. And it's not like I'll never have tofu again…" Brock added, "…in fact, I was gonna make some tonight. Want some?"

Vulpix and Kabuto shook their heads and lowered them into their bowls as Brock chuckled, getting to work one more time that night in the kitchen.


End file.
